I See In Other Ways
by Cookiethife
Summary: "how did you know my hair was red?" Was what he chose to ask, it was not the reaction I was expecting but it wasn't unwelcome. I found my ridiculous fear of rejection melt away and be replaced by a feeling of joy. AU where Dick Grayson was born blind. - Dick/Wally
1. Chapter 1

_Touch_

Touch has always been the most important to me and being born blind chances are I rely on It the most, people have told me that other senses are more important in helping me "see" but for me, it was never about being able to see with my eyes. I was blind, and that is and always will be apart of me. I always thought it was more important to be able to see without seeing. Most people get confused when I say that. I'll give you an example. I didn't need to see to know about the smirk on Barbara's face as she scolded me about my- and I quote- reckless and dangerous tricks- I was an acrobat, what did she expect?- I didn't need to see to feel Wally's love as he wrapped his arms around me- even if Wally didn't know- I could still feel Bruce's pride and affection as he ruffled my hair.

 _Sound_

I admit it was dangerous how much I needed sound, it was something to tell me I wasn't alone as Conner sat beside me and watched static-which I will admit is amazingly soothing- or as Zatanna flipped the page in her "spell book" and quietly mumbled what she read from the chair across from me- of course, I knew where it was! I walked into it twice!- and most of all the sound of Wally's beating heart as I lay with my head on his chest.

 _Taste_

I've always used taste- and smell- as a way to remember moments, the best part about being blind? Everything I tasted was full of flavor, it made me more grateful- and Alfred's cooking was already something to be worshiped- I remember the first time Megan made a batch of cookies without burning them, and I have to admit they were some of the best cookies I've had- after Alfred's and my own of course- and most of all I remember the taste of Wally's lips on my own.

 _Smell_

Believe it or not, a person's smell is one of the most telling features of a person- after looks of course, but what does that mean to me?- like Kaldur, always a sharp smell of salt and water surrounding him like a blanket making it clear just how much time he spent in the ocean. Artemis always wore a small amount of rose-scented perfume that circled around where she stood, and Wally had a scent that was so uniquely Wally it was painful, Food. Wally always smelled like food and home...and sometimes me.

So, this is what I explained to Wally as I pulled off the thin black fabric that was my mask, and pulled my gray eyes up to look at where his eyes would be- judging from his hand on my waist and his height.- Icould feel the shock in his muscles from the small touch alone and out of habit I brought my hands up to massage his shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Wally asked bending down to whisper in my ear, I shuddered as he pulled my smaller form closer to him.

"I didn't know what you'd say" I managed to breath out as Wally's teeth found my neck. He hummed against my skin,

"How did you know my hair was red?" Was what he chose to ask, it was not the reaction I was expecting but it wasn't unwelcome. I found my ridiculous fear of rejection melt away and be replaced by a feeling of joy.

"That's my superpower," I told Wally managing a grin as he laughed against my neck, it made me shudder for a second time. Wally slowly trailed his lips up to mine and captured them in a bruising kiss. When he pulled away I could hear his shallow breathing and the repetitive tapping of his foot against the carpeted floor. Somewhere on the ground floor- two floors below- someone had started the dishwasher and the vibrations rumbled up the walls to me.

I suddenly noticed the pressure from Wally's touch had disappeared,

"Wally?" I called out quietly with what I am proud to say was only a small amount of worry in my voice. Wally's hand instantly returned to my waist, silently assuring me that he was still there. From the source of his breathing I discovered he was behind me- circling me- when I moved to turn a hand on my shoulder stopped me. As Wally circled me he traced his hands across my shoulders and when he returned to his place in front of me he ran his finger across my lips before moving onto my other features. My tongue shot out to taste his lips and I was reminded of the popcorn we had eaten earlier that night. I took a calming breath only for my sense's to be invaded by the sharp and tangy smell of Wally's cologne, telling me just how close he was.

I didn't need to see to know that Wally accepted me and my blindness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Warning(s): suggestive**

 _Fire_

The soft heat was emitting off the campfire, in the backyard of Wayne Manor where we are camping for the night, at a low tone in a way i could only feel. I sat criss-cross on the ground a foot or two away from the flame where the damp grass had dried.

"One Wally special s'more!" Wally said as he set the warm s'more into my waiting hand.

"You know, I could have done it myself" I said licking my lips and taking a bite of the sticky treat well Wally shuffled, assumably putting the s'more ingredients back in the tent we (he) had set up and sat next to me a moment later, nudging me with his shoulder as the fire crackled

"Could you have?" I flushed a mumbled a "shut up" as I recalled my previous- failed- attempts.

"Awww don't be upset," Wally said, placing a hand under my chin and pulling me to face him and placing a kiss on my forehead. I took a short breath, filling my senses with the smell of Wally and chocolate and burning the scent into my memories. I lifted my head up and gave him a teasing peck on the lips only to pull back with a chuckle, he made a soft whining sound and I found myself laying on my back in the soft grass as Wally gave me a proper kiss. I shivered as a colder breeze swept by,

"We should add more wood to the fire," I mumbled into Wally's lips, he hummed in agreement but neither of us moved. The wood lay beside the fire, forgotten, overnight.

The burning heat made me sweat and fight for a breath of dry air as the flames licked at the weakening, wooden walls of the apartment. It registered in my mind the Bruce would kill me for this later but a sobbing reached me before I could think to retreat.

"Help!" A young- very young- female voice screamed from close by,

"Where are you?" I called back taking a careful step forward, I didn't get a reply and my heartbeat spiked for a moment before an "I don't know!" came from the same direction. I took a deep breath- which I regretted a moment later when my lungs filled with smoke, keeping my hands at my side, to avoid the flames, I took another slow step forwards hearing the wood creak underfoot.

"What's your name?" I called to the building around me, there was a sniffle then a wobbly voice,

"Lilly." I swallowed past the lump in my throat and followed the voice to the left, testing the boards before stepping forwards.

"That's a very pretty name," I called, hissing under my breath as a flame brushed up against my leg.

"Thank you," Lilly called back in a steadier voice, I paused to turn to my right and reached out slowly to feel for a door.

"S-so Lilly" I began winced, my gloves took most of the heat from the wall but it still burned.

"Who's your favorite superhero?" There was an excited sound from Lilly that turned to a sharp cry of pain followed by a crash. Fear bubbled up in my chest

"Lilly!" I called out pausing all movements and listening to the wood fight to stay up-I could still hear the sound of Bruce and Riddler fighting a good distance away.

"I'm okay!" Lilly called, after a moment of heavy silence, I breathed a sigh of relief and continued looking for a doorknob.

"And so is Leo!" My eyes widened and I fought to keep my voice even

"whose Leo?" A soft meow followed my question, My hand landed on a hot piece of metal- a doorknob- and I jerked my hand back with a short yell.

"Are you okay Mr. Voice?" Lilly asked, concern lacing her tone, In reply, I lifted my other hand and knocked on the door,

"Is this your room Lilly?" I called, a softer knock, lower down, echoed my own

"Yep!" I froze as a loud creak came from above us, and I realized that I couldn't open the door without risking the structure of the whole roof.

"Okay Lilly, I need you to describe the room for me" I reached into my belt and removed my grappling hook. we were only on the sixth floor. No biggy.

"Ummmm, it's on fire." She said after a moment, I forced a soft chuckle

"Is there a window?" I asked crossing my fingers after a second, in which I assumed Lilly was looking around the room, Lilly called back,

"yes." I reminded myself to go to church next Sunday and took a step back,

"okay Lilly, one more question, where?" I took a steadying breath and waited.

"Straight in front of me." A flame blew against my back and another kissed my arm well a bored to the left of me broke and fell to the floors below.

"Okay Lilly stands to the left of the door as far away as you can," A meow echoed in the room, "and hold onto Leo very tight," l remarked as a side note and closed my eyes envisioning the door as best as I could.

"Ready!" Lilly called to me after a moment, I took a single stride forwards and kicked just beside the knob, kicking the door open and allowing to swing open. Pain shot up my leg but I ignored it and took quick steps grabbing Lilly as the roof groaned and crossing the room. Holding my cape over her and Leo to protect them from the flames, as I jumped out the window, backward, and shot my grappling hook where I knew the nearest building was. My back hit the concrete first and I curled Lilly into me to protect her as we rolled, Leo meowed in protest. As the building collapsed behind us a crowd gathered around me and Lilly, firemen pushing through and guiding us to the awaiting ambulances.

See? No biggie.

 _Earth_

"Looks great guys!" Wally called from where he was sipping an orange soda and munching on Alfred's newest batch of cookies, Roy moved from beside me and I heard Wally call out a moment later

"Not cool dude!" Roy returned to kneel beside me and went back to pulling weeds from the garden.

I have no idea what he did.

There was a soft chuckle from Alfred as the old man returned from the garden shed set down the third try of flowers he had gone to fetch and began turning the soil to plant them.

"You could help" I called over my shoulder, setting the small shovel aside to grin at him,

"I'm supervising," Wally remarked and the tink of glass suggested that he had set down his drink. A soft chuckle escaped me and I turned my attention back to the garden, feeling for weeds and tugging to get then out at the root. The dirt was soft and fell apart in my hands.

"You just want to get a look at my ass." I accused, there was a quiet laugh from Roy that got progressively louder and Alfred cleared his throat, I looked up at the old man with a smile and a tilt of my head,

"Sorry Alfred." I said listening to Wally sputter protests in the background.

I felt it snake around me and I assume it was one of Poison Ivy's vines before I got the chance to cut myself free, it had tightened around my waist and pulled me off of the ground. My shout trailed behind me as I was dragged to an unknown location, the vine around my waist was unloosening and I could feel my ribs strain under the pressure.

"Well well well" Ivy's smooth voice purred directly in my ear, I took everything I had not to jump, 'well well well' I mocked, not saying anything if Ivy noticed she didn't say anything about it.

"It looked like I caught a little bird in my bat trap," she remarked, I held back a shudder because I could practically hear the crazy in her voice.

"I suppose I will have to throw it back," she said, her voice farther In the distance. My eyes widened and I waited for her to attack but instead the vine that had ahold of me, I assume, in the air pulled me to the ground at a dangerous speed. I braced myself for impact, only it never came, I tried to take a calming breath but found I couldn't breathe, I started hyperventilating in search of a full breath but forced myself to stop a moment later. Rocks dug into my back and weighed down my chest. I had been buried alive. I took a short breath when I needed to and kept as calm as I could, waiting for Bruce to come and dig me out. I could hear the sound of fighting above me, muffled by what I hope wasn't six feet of dirt. As time passed I became more desperate and started pushing for longer, deeper breaths. I took the risk and raised my hands to push against what I knew would be a soiled wall of dirt, and I was right. I wasn't yet going to try and dig myself out, the ceiling collapsing could easily kill me. My breath caught in my throat, a dangerous thing, as the sounds of fighting stopped and for a moment my heart rate sped up but I nearly shouted with joy when I felt digging above me. Three minutes later Bruce pulled me out of the ground and, surprisingly, I felt him wrap his arms around me in a hug, I returned the gesture.

"I want a shovel in my utility belt," I mumbled.

I got one.

 **So, this is just something to hold you guys off and let you know that I will continue this story for a while (any requests?) if you guys want I'll do water and air in a later chapter, it the next one depends on how long it takes me to write the actual plot starter.**

 **So here are your options;**

 **Wally's P.O.V**

 **Water & air**

 **Any requests**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry if there's a difference between the writing styles of this chapter and the last two, it's been awhile since I've updated and I know for a fact that the way I write has changed, but I'll try and keep it consistent, maybe I'll go over the last two chapters.**

* * *

 _Water_

For the most part, I hate water. Something about the way it feels against my skin irked me. Remember how I said for the most part? There are some parts of water the I will cherish forever, like Bruce teaching me how to swim, Kaldur's constant sea-like smell, and even Artemis's nearly constant complaints about nearly drowning on every mission.

It was supposed to be a calm day in the backyard of Wayne Manor, the patio leading off into the clean cut grass, a large pool that had only come into use 5 years ago, and flowerbeds, weed-free and currently being trimmed by the number 1 butler well three young boys played in the background. Well, two of them played and one sat on the side- like the edgy teen he claimed to be- eyes closed and listening intently, narrating everything he heard.

"And with a swift right-splash Kid-Idiot is down for the count!" Dick finished, opening his eyes only to slam them shut as moments later a handful of water came flying towards his unprotected face.

"Not cool bow-breath!" He complained, using his hands to rub away the water.

His complaints were met with a second attack.

"This means WAR!" He declared, shooting to his feet and jumping into the water, firing water in the direction he had last heard Roy move from.

"You're on bat-brat!" Came Roy's brave- or stupid- acceptance of the challenge.

"Hey watch it! I'm just a bystander!" Wally's panicked voice shouted as he was hit in the crossfire, getting only a chuckle from the archer in response.

Roy's attacks paused for a moment and Dick listened carefully, hearing only rushed whispers from between the speedster and the archer. Dick had only seconds to retreat as out of the dark Wally's hands wrapped around him, trapping his arms to his sides. He squirmed, wiggled, and tried to protect himself against Roy's unending attacks of flicked water but only managed to succeed in making sure that Wally was also soaked.

As the game died down Dick relaxed in Wally's possessive hold and allowed himself to float and be pulled along as Wally wondered aimlessly in the shallow end of the pool. The speedster loudly complained about how Artemis had little time to argue with him since getting together with the team's local magician- although he quickly claimed that he wasn't bothered by it once Roy teased him about missing the blond.

Dick let his eyes slip shut and, once he grew tired of hearing the archer's name fall from Wally's lips, shut him up with a salty, wet, kiss.

* * *

It was amazing how fast opinions could change. Just last week he was relaxing with his boyfriend and brother-figure in his own backyard, and now? Now he was falling at a fast pace towards the bottom of Gotham Harbor with a large piece of cement tried around his ankle and trying to avoid the teeth of Killer Croc, who had either jumped in after him or was currently fighting Bruce. He wasn't taking the chance.

The assumed darkness around him had little effect considering he couldn't even see it be bother by it, but the heavy weight of the pressure on his chest and the lack of oxygen were hard to miss. One on hand, he could search for his rebreather in the utility belt that had been tauntingly tossed off the bridge and into the water after him and risk being defenseless against the possible claws and strikes of Killer Croc, _or_ he could continue to fight against gravity and slowly run out of air well he waited for Bruce to come and save him, of course there was the third option of drowning, but that wasn't going to be on his to-do list anytime soon.

The lack of all senses around him was extremely nerve-racking, he couldn't hear, he couldn't taste, he couldn't smell, he couldn't taste, he couldn't feel, he couldn't see- but what was new there?

Deciding he didn't want to die in the filthy waters of the Harbor he ignored the sudden lightheadedness and reached into the heavy water around him, swiping blindly for his utility belt.

His actions were set to a sudden, jarring pause, when the block of cement that had been pulling him down hit the bottom, probably stirring up dust and shocking him so much that he took a gasping breath, disgusting, salty water invaded his open mouth, filling his lungs and giving a sudden edge of panic to his situation. Dick flid wildly now until his hand crashed into the wet utility belt.

He was desperate for air at this point, his lungs feeling what he could only associate with the feeling of slowing being crushed, and unconscious was his current fate as it grew harder and harder to keep his eyes open.

Digging through each pocket carelessly and without logic, throwing things into the water where they either sank or started to float, Dick's hands grasped the first sharp thing they could, the blade of a batarang. The feeling of his hand being sliced by the blade went unnoticed as he used the other side to cut away at the rope around his ankle, willing it to break faster despite his lessening strength.

When it did brake he felt the weight of the cement disappear almost instantly and as fast as his tired and numb limbs would physically let him he started upwards, swimming as fast as he could until he broke surface. The cold air hitting his face as he treaded in the water was nothing sort of cherished as Dick took rapid deep breaths, painting and trying to calm his racing heart.

Wanting to get out of the offensive substance surrounding him Dick listened carefully for the direction that the sound of Bruce's battle on shore was coming from and took off in the direction, praying he was swimming towards land and not the ocean. He reached for the button on his utility belt that would have summoned his R-cycle (in its water form, resembling a jet ski) when he was suddenly reminded that he no-longer had his utility belt.

What a way to spend a Thursday.

* * *

 _Air_

As a kid, he remembered the feeling of flying. At first, his parents didn't want to let him, worried he would miss the rings that he couldn't see, but Dick was a relentless child, the other circus workers joked that the air called to him. He could fly before he could run. He liked to think that his parents gave him a hand in the air, a gust of warm comforting wind to push him the extra few feet, or a solid cut of the drag to make sure he caught the next ring, like two immortal wings.

Adjusting the fingerless gloves he wore a final time Dick prepared to start his routine. Most aerial artists didn't wear gloves but since he had become Robin and his grapple gun became second nature to him it felt off to grip the bars of even his own trapeze with bare hands, so, the thin fingerless gym-gloves were a good compromise between his heavy and gadget-packed Robin gloves and his trained hands.

Taking a steady breath, an extra step his parents had always insisted on, he tightened his grip on the bar and easily slipped off the platform and into the air, dancing from bar to bar in a mix of flips and spins.

It was very easy for him to allow his mind to wondered at times like this, the familiar feel of the trapeze mixed with that of the bat cave, but it was forbidden, his parents, both his birth ones and Bruce, had always insisted, although in different levels of bluntness, _"you can not see the next bar nor the last, you must pay attention at all times."_

He knew it was because they didn't want him hurt, and they were right, his trapeze was set up a certain way, he knew the exact placing of each bar to the millimetre, but it would be foolish to believe that it was impossible for him to miss judge the distance, that's why, for the longest time, Bruce had made him practice with a net.

Giving a final flip and landing on the platform opposite of the one he started on Dick gave a final squeeze of the bar, his mind flashing back to his younger years, he could almost feel his mothers hands guiding him to the ladder and helping him to climb down despite his protests that he didn't need help.

With a content sigh and a smile, he let go of the bar, allowing it to swing to the side and sway back and forth until it would eventually lose momentum and settle back into place, slowly making his way back to solid ground.

* * *

At any other time, the feeling of nothing beneath his feet was comforting, it meant Wally was carting him around, or he was racing Barbara through the skies of the city, but at this moment, the thought of nothing beneath him was the single most terrifying thought that had ever entered his mind.

A harsh metal hand had a steel grip on his neck, dangling him over the edge of Wayne Enterprises and fully prepared to drop him.

"Let him go." Batman's rough voice held no panic, even to the highly trained ears of Robin but that fact brought no comfort.

"You may want to re-phrase that, Bat." A cheesy joke, one that had been made hundreds of times, but there really was no other joke to make that would be any better.

Robin tightened his grip on his attacker's wrist, grinding his teeth and fighting for short breaths.

He tried to talk but it came out as mumbled and no more than the gibberish of letters that come with being strangled and slowly running out of oxygen.

The fact that Robin was blind was one of the single most protected secrets in the world, his identity would be given up before that fact, although the two went hand in hand, and yet, his attacker had full knowledge of his weakness, _and_ used it against him.

"What was that Robin?" His assailant taunted, tightening his grip harshly before relaxing it enough to allow Robin to speak,

"Go to hell Slade."

"Robin don't you d-" Batman's threat was lost to the empty air as Robin put his full weight onto Slade's wrist and swung his legs up, locking them around the waist of the assassin and dragging them both off the side and starting them on a thousand-foot drop.

Grabbing a batarang from his utility belt Robin slammed the knife-like tip into Slade's side, darkness edging at the corners of his vision as Slade's grip showed no signs of releasing. Desperately, Robin searched for the button on the side of the weapon and pressed it. Slade gave a brief cry of shock that mixed with Robin's as the two of them were electrocuted.

Searching for his grapple gun and struggling to hold it steady in his shaking grip he kicked away from Slade and fired in the assumed direction of up, praying that it would latch onto something. He only allowed himself a breath when his arm jerked, pulling the rest of his body to a harsh stop. Dangling in the open, exposed, and betraying air forced his heart to skip a beat.

Ignoring the weighing pull on his arm Robin slipped his eyes shut and listened, searching for the sound of Slade's body hitting the cement below and trying to block out intrusive thoughts of his parents, but it never came. He hung in relative silence for a few dark seconds before the sudden thought disturbing sound of shattering glass met his focused ears.

Giving a frustrated growl as he realized Slade was going to get away Robin considered chasing after his villain, even if it leads him to another city- at least that way he would avoid the coming lecture.- The choice was made for him by the sudden tugging on his lifeline, pulling him up the dozens of feet he had fallen before his feet once again returned to the roof of Wayne Enterprises.

Taking greedy time to breathe and still his shaking hands- his adrenaline was wearing off and the aftershock was setting in- he sat in a childish criss-cross poster and gave a sigh,

"I need a drink."

A warning grunt followed.

"I meant a hot chocolate!"


End file.
